This invention relates to a hand tool for assembling an electrical cable to a terminal connector.
Certain hand tools of the character described, as well as crimping tools in the field of electrical connectors, commonly include a pair of jaws in a plier-type tool. The jaws may have either a pivotal action for cooperation with one another, or a generally parallel action facilitated by a toggle-type connection. The tool has a pair of handle members pivotally connected to one another and which are pivoted by the operator's hand to effect a connector assembly, crimping or other terminal operation through closing movement of the jaws. The handle members are usually spring biased to their open or separated positions and manipulated by the operator to their closed positions against the spring bias. It is through force exerted by the operator on the handle members that the assembly or termination is effected.
One common method of terminating electrical cables, for instance, insulation clad cables to terminal connectors, is to insert the cables into receiving slots formed in the connectors and which hold the cables in terminate positions. In many instances, the connectors have electrical contact piercing portions or blades which pierce the insulative covering about the cables during assembly or termination of the cables to the connector to establish an electrical conductive path therethrough after the assembly operation. Problems arise when an operator exerts indeterminate force on the handle members of the tool during the aforesaid assembly operation, particularly when excess force is exerted by the operator. Excessive forces can drive the insulation piercing conductive blades into or through the conductive wire portion or core of the cable causing damage to the cable. This could interfere with the electrical properties of the cable. This problem particularly arises when the electrical connectors to which the cables are terminated are of varying sizes for various intended purposes, such as male and female connectors. Without any provision being made for the difference in connector size, the operator can rely only on his feel of the connector to insure that the piercing blades of the connector contacts do not damage or overly cut through the conductor core of the cable.
Attempts have been made to provide a hand tool which has adjusting means which can be set to determine the closing distance of travel of the jaws of the tool depending upon the size of the connector which is to be assembled to the appropriate electrical cable. However, with such manually adjustable tools, the tool requires a separate physical action to set the tool for each size or configuration of connector. It would be desirable, and this invention is directed, to provide a hand tool of the character described for solving these problems in assembling or terminating electrical cables for electrical connectors or the like.